Phygelius plant named &#39;Lemon Spritzer&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phygelius  plant characterized by its variegated yellow leaves that are speckled and blotched with lime and pine green.

BOTANICAL DENOMINATION

Phygelius×rectus

VARIETY DESIGNATION

‘Lemon Spritzer’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phygelius, given the name, ‘Lemon Spritzer’. Phygelius is in the family Scrophulariaceae. This plant is a found whole plant mutation of Phygelius×rectus ‘Sunshine’, an unpatented plant. It was found at a nursery in Albany, Oreg. This cultivar was selected for its lovely variegation.

Compared to the parent plant, Phygelius ‘Sunshine’, the new cultivar has yellow leaves that are speckled and blotched with lime and pine green rather than just yellow.

Phygelius ‘Lemon Spritzer’ is uniquely distinguished by its variegated yellow leaves that are speckled and blotched with lime and pine green. It is the only variegated Phygelius on the market known to the inventor.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (cuttings and micropropagation). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttings and micropropagation using terminal and lateral shoots as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a close up of a one-year-old Phygelius ‘Lemon Spritzer in the summer in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2, foreground, shows a two-year-old Phygelius ‘Lemon Spritzer’ in bloom growing in full sun in the garden in late summer in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Phygelius cultivar based on observations of one-year-old specimens grown outside in one gallon pots in Canby, Oreg. in late September. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—semi-evergreen subshrub.         -   Form.—upright, branching.         -   Cold hardiness.—USDA Zone 7-10.         -   Size.—grows to 91 cm wide and 91 cm high.         -   Vigor.—excellent.         -   Stem number.—3 main stems from the crown.         -   Stem.—upright, grows to 45 cm long and 18 mm wide (at the             base), glabrous, internodes grow to 4 cm long, Greyed Purple             187A on older stems, younger stems Greyed Purple 184B.         -   Rooting.—plants root easily from stem cuttings. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—simple.         -   Arrangement.—opposite.         -   Shape.—ovate to ovate lanceolate.         -   Venation.—pinnate.         -   Margins.—serrate.         -   Apex.—acute.         -   Base.—cuneate.         -   Blade size.—grows to 7.5 cm long and 4 cm wide.         -   Petiole.—grows to 18 mm long and 2 mm wide, Greyed Orange             177A.         -   Surface texture.—glabrous on both sides.         -   Leaf color.—topside closest to Yellow Green N144A speckled             and blotched with Green 137D and Yellow Green 146B with main             vein at base Greyed Orange 177A, bottom side Yellow Green             146D with darker spots of Yellow Green 147C. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—one-sided, pyramidal panicle with pendulous flowers.         -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—about 60.         -   Size of inflorescence.—grows to 19 cm long and 8 cm wide.         -   Peduncle.—grows to 4.5 cm long and 3 mm wide, glabrous,             Greyed Orange 177A.         -   Pedicel.—grows to 1 cm long and 1 mm wide, glabrous, Red             46A.         -   Bloom period.—June to November in Canby, Oreg. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—3.5 cm long and 7 mm wide at the widest area.         -   Description.—tubular, pendulous.         -   Color.—Red 47B on bottom ⅔ and Greyed Red 181C on top ⅓. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—zygomorphic, perfect.         -   Shape.—tubular.         -   Size.—grows to 4 cm long and 4.5 cm wide.         -   Corolla description.—grows to 4 cm long and 2 cm wide;             glabrous inside and out; tube 3.2 mm long, swollen to 6.5             wide on bottom side for 5 mm under the calyx then narrows to             5 mm wide and expanding to 9 mm wide below the lobes; lobes             reflexed, oblong, tips obtuse, margins entire, top two lobes             7 mm long and 6 mm wide, bottom three lobes 7 mm long and 5             mm wide; outside color between Greyed Red 181 C and Red 47B,             inside color Red 53B on the first 5 mm of the lobes then             Yellow 12A for 9 mm then Yellow 12D.         -   Calyx description.—5 mm deep and 12 mm wide, 5 spreading,             recurved lobes cut almost to the base, glabrous inside and             out, each lobe lanceolate in shape, 7 mm long and to 2 mm             wide, margins entire, tip acute, Yellow Green 144B tinted             Greyed Orange 176A.         -   Pistil description.—1, 54 mm long, ovary 6 mm long and 3.5             mm wide, Yellow Green 144B tinted Greyed Purple 185A; style             49 mm long and less than 1 mm wide, Greyed Purple 185A;             stigma Greyed Purple 187A.         -   Stamen description.—4, filaments: two short 2 cm long and             two long 2.2 cm and 1 mm wide, Red Purple 60A, anthers 3 mm             long and 2 mm wide, Greyed Green 195A, pollen Greyed Brown             N199A.         -   Fragrance.—none.         -   Lastingness.—a flower lasts about a week on a plant. -   Fruit:     -   -   Type.—capsule, curved.         -   Fertility.—poor.         -   Size.—1 cm deep and 5 mm wide.         -   Color.—Brown 200D.         -   Seed.—none seen.         -   Pests and diseases.—Plants of the new Phygelius have not             been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common             to Phygelius. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Phygelius substantially as shown and described. 